Second Glances
by TheThornBird
Summary: Battling has taken a new turn for Yoko,this time; its her heart.Between a charismatic Emperor and a faithful half-beast,will she be able to make the right choice? Rating might be changed to pg-13 in later chapters.
1. Prologue

**Second Glances**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twelve Kingdoms or any of its amazing characters. Sigh!

Chapter 1: Prologue

A/N: I'm sorry if I made any mistakes in the detailing of the events because I've only watched until the part where Yoko claimed her kingdom. This is slightly AU, and there's going to be a romance, so anyone can guess who it is? winks

Yoko cast her emerald-green eyes heavenwards. Yes, today was the day she had been dreading ever since Keiki spoke to her of it. He didn't have the decency to tell her before she accepted the title, huh? And Rakushun had so conveniently 'forgotten' to mention that she had to meet with the other eleven rulers after the enthronement for a royal banquet. Perfect, just perfect. She frowned momentarily, watching the dragonflies flittering high and low near the pond's surface. She felt more like a captive than a monarch. Day after day, its always decorum, socializing, meet-and-greet…arggh! Perhaps this wasn't as different as the time she was in Japan; always having to put up to do this since she was the head-of-class.

A discreet cough shook her out of her reverie. "Your Highness, it's about time for you to get fitted into your royal attire." A lady-in-waiting prompted politely. Yoko sighed. 'Might as well get it over and done with it," she mused to herself silently as she obediently followed the maid out of her personal chambers.

**Later in the night…**

'Nani…they make me get all dolled up and I do is just sit here like a statue and smile widely?" she shot a fierce glare at Keiki, who gave her a weak smile in reply. As if sensing her discomfort, he moved closer to her side and whispered.

"Please bear with this a little while longer, Shouju. En-Ou and Enki will be arriving shortly." Yoko brightened up considerably upon the news; it's been almost three months since they last met. What she really needed now was a friendly face or two; to handle this whole fiasco by herself would be a nightmare. Arduous weeks and days she had spent practicing how to behave and rule as a proper Queen but deep down she was unsure. The last thing she wanted to do was to make a fool of herself or start a war by saying the wrong things. She straightened her shoulders and looked forward with renewed vigor, her eyes scanning desperately for the King of En and his Taiho. A large crowd had been assembled, her own Cabinet mingling about with the various ministers of the other 11 kingdoms.

"Oh by the way, Keiki, will Rakushun be coming too?" she asked, crossing her fingers absent-mindedly.

"He should be arriving with En-Ou, Your Highness." He murmured, tucking his hands behind his back. Yoko felt a tiny smile curve on her lips. Perhaps this night wasn't going to be as bad as she thought.

As if the Heavens had heard her prayers, the Head Steward announced the latest arrival to the Grand Hall. "En-Ou, En-Taiho and Rakushun-sama." Yoko could barely suppress the excitement and exhilaration that was threatening to overwhelm her; it took all of her will to stop herself from jumping out of her throne and sprinting towards them. Shoryuu winked at her, and nodded his head to the nearest empty hallway.

"Keiki, please excuse me for a moment. It seems En-Ou wants to have a word with me." Keiki nodded in acknowledgement, though he raised a questioning eyebrow. She decided to move fast before he suspected anything.

He flashed a smile at the young girl whom he had come to know and respect in what little short time they had been together. True, he thought she was nothing more than a lass with exceptional spunk and attitude when he came to her rescue that fateful day. It was a very refreshing though, a welcome break from the perpetual warring and politics, not to mention people he unintentionally intimidates just because he was of royalty, in his 500 years as the reigning monarch of the En kingdom. And they think he had it easy. Standing before him now, was a woman, a girl who had come a long way to realizing her true destiny and more importantly, her true self. She stumbled on the hem of her imperial robes, clearly a sign of her still not being used to such attire.

"Yoko, you're a little too eager to greet us, aren't you?" he laughed, offering her a hand. She pouted, gratefully accepting it though. For a second, she felt a jolt as their arms came in contact. 'He's still as good-looking as before,' she thought, then shook her head. Where did that come from?

"What took you all so long? I didn't think I could hold up much longer. Keiki is as strict as my form teacher back in Japan. And is this really necessary? I mean can't we just announce there's a new queen and left it at that?" she let out a dramatic sigh before flashing a big grin.

"You haven't changed a bit, Yoko." Rokuta let out a guffaw, "it's just like the day you first came here. A fish out of water!" Yoko bowed her head sheepishly, then looked around.

"Where's Rakushun? I thought I saw him with you awhile ago. I have a lot to talk to him about." Shoryuu looked thoughtful for a moment before replying.

"I think he went to change into some appropriate clothes. He knows it's alright for him to appear in his beast form around us, but I guess he decided it was better to follow decorum." Feeling a little frustrated, she nodded nevertheless. 'Just when I so badly wanted to talk to him, he disappears." A resounding gong echoed throughout the enormous hall, signaling the beginning of the banquet. Keiki appeared at her side, tapping her lightly on the shoulder.

"Time to be sitted, your Highness." Yoko nodded, and the small reunion dispersed for the time being.

"Domo arigato, Ayako-san," Rakushun thanked the maid who had brought some official dress robes for him to change into. He closed the door, leaning heavily against it. Even though Yoko and En-Ou said it was important that Rakushun joined them on this special day, he felt otherwise. This was no place for a Hanjyuu. He lifted a paw, feeling the velvetiness of the lush fabrics. He recalled the message he received from Yoko through the bird.

"Attend it, otherwise I'll go and pick you up myself!" came a mockingly stern warning. He knew it was all in the name of good jest, but he could sense the anxiety in her undertone. He walked to the foldable screens and allowed his body to go through its metamorphosis. His pores enlarged slightly, the prickly sensation as the gray fur that covered his entire frame to shirk back into his human flesh. His face feature, fingers and toes elongated swiftly, and he felt his bone structure lengthen in accordance to accommodate the transformation. A bright white light swept through from head to toe, signaling that the change was complete.

He pulled on the robes as quickly as possible and headed out to the location of the Banquet. He slipped in as discreetly as he could, trying his best to blend in with a crowd of minor officials. Since he was a lot taller in his human form, it was almost easy to spot Yoko. Rakushun's jaw dropped. He always felt that she was pretty from the moment he had met her in the rain, the Yoko in front of him was ravishing. Her long flaming red hair was pulled up in semi bun held back by little bejeweled hairpins, leaving only a few stray strands to frame her heart-shaped face while the back was let to cascade freely. She sat at the head of an incredulously huge round table, with Keiki on her left and the King of En on her right.

Coincidentally, the other 10 rulers were sitted by the order of their respective locations of their states (their individual Kirins sitting beside them); each of them engaging in light chatting. She was about to answer a question by Enki when she looked up.

Yoko seemed to have noticed him. 'Rakushun!" she stood up, oblivious to the shocked expression of a certain Taiho. Embarrassed, he quickly walked over and bowed low to greet the young Empress. He could feel a strong blush creep from his neck all the way to the roots of his hair. Trust her to do the most unexpected. Rakushun could feel curious looks boring through the back of him, whispers and murmurs speculating who this 'distinguished' stranger might be. Yoko grinned good-naturedly.

"Dispense with formalities, Rakushun. Just behave as you usually do," she said, before turning to face her visitors.

"This is Rakushun-sama, a very good and close friend of mine. He will be joining us for the banquet," she announced firmly. Rakushun felt his face turn an even darker red, rivaling a beetroots.

"Iie, your Highness. I can sit with the other …" he never got to finish his sentence. "Nonsense, you're sitting right next to me." And with that she signaled for another chair to be squeezed in between hers and Keiki's; a jostling to make place for the newest addition to the table. Shoryuu and Rokuta looked at each other, trying hard to stifle the urge to laugh. What a sight that was, Sovereigns and their Kirins shuffling from side to side, their robes and accessories swishing in light disarray. Rakushun dared not lift his head a single inch. This in itself was beyond awkward. Biting his lower lip, he gingerly sat down. This was just so wrong, what the heaven was he supposed to do now?

TBC.

A/N: So how bad was it? winces…I hope it wasn't as corny as I think it is. By the way, I hereby profusely apologize if there's any mistake in the names or terms. I wrote them according to the subtitles in the show that's currently broadcasting in my country. BTW, in my fic, Ko-Ou and Ko-rin has been restored, so as not to confuse you guys. All reviews and flames are welcome. Sings…I'm a shipper…a shipper for…..

Top of Form

Bottom of Form


	2. Conflicts and Confrontations

**Second Glances**

Chapter Two: Conflicts and confrontations

That was perhaps, the twentieth morsel of food that was jostled into his bowl.

Rakushun winced apologetically to the inquiring looks of the various rulers and Taihos, and cast a pleading look towards to Enki. Rokuta grinned in obvious amusement; shrugging his petite shoulders in an exaggerated display. He leaned slightly towards the half-beast. "I don't think there's anything we can possibly do. Just bear with it, ne?"

Rakushun sighed in resignation. This was just going great. He doubted that he would ever be able to show his face ever again in Kei, which was just as well. As much as Yoko was a dear friend to him, she is definitely going to get quite an earful from him. Oh was she ever going to. He decided to start consuming the little 'mountains' of delicacies building up in his bowl before Yoko tries to add more. He munched slowly on a piece of fish, listening to the ongoing bantering between Ryu-Ou and Kyou-Ou. The two great kingdoms were known to be exceptionally good neighbors for the last two centuries or so, hence they were able to flourish and progress with the many years that were to come. Ryu-Ou, an elderly gentleman who looked like he was in his late forties, stroked his long wispy beard thoughtfully before giving Kyou-Ou a good-natured smack on the back. The latter who was unfortunately imbibing a chalice full of wine at that very moment, naturally, started to cough and sputter uncontrollably. "That's why you I say that you youngsters should produce more wine and alchohol for import and export. Cultivating one to drink at a tender age a fine privilege. Just a little pat and you go all red in the face? Not good, Kyou-Ou. Tsk, tsk." He was greeted with a well-formed scowl complete with gritted white teeth, courtesy of an equally red-faced Kyou-Ou.

"Just a light pat, you say?" he muttered incredulously, glaring at the other King with murderous intent.

The whole table broke into guffaws of laughter. Rakushun giggled, despite himself. That had certainly lightened up the whole atmosphere for him considerably. After the laughter finally subsided, everyone began to get into a more serious mood. The respective Kirins were excused, Rakushun included, leaving only their masters to discuss matters exclusively. Rakushun noticed Enki seemed especially relieved upon hearing that they were all to be relieved from duty. Rokuta stretched his arms, which had gotten stiff from seating through the two hour long banquet.

"500 years of sticking with that insufferable jerk. I finally get a break and I'm most definitely not going to waste it. Yo, Taiki!" he called to an unusually raven-haired Kirin. He appeared to be slightly younger and shorter than Rokuta (if you call 500 years a tender age). This must be the rumored mystical Black Kirin that Yoko had told him about. This was definitely an eye-opener for him.

"En-Taiho!" came a delighted squeal. Rakushun decided to leave the two to catch up, walking towards one of the countless pavilions scattered around the palace. A cool breeze caressed the stray strands away his face as he looked up into the velvety night sky. The moon wasn't in sight, but the myriad of twinkling stars that dominated the darkness was just as beautiful. If only every other night was just as perfect as this. Sitting on one of the polished marble stools, he turned and looked back at the Grand Hall. Being a Hanjyuu had certain advantages; sharing the same traits as a rat would, he could clearly make out Yoko amongst the rest of the Rulers. Something seemed amiss though. She still had a relatively calm expression on her face, but he could detect that she was slightly shaking…with anger? Fright? Kei-Taiho didn't seem to be faring any better. His usual aloof demeanor was replaced with one that seemed to be gaping in disbelief and surprise.

After what seemed like an eternity (actually it was closer to 10 mins), the congregation of rulers finally began to disperse. Rakushun stole a glance at Yoko; she still seemed to be some what rigid in her body language. He wondered if she had been insulted or something during the conversation. Being a Taika Sovereign wasn't easy; you had to try twice at hard in gaining other peoples' respect. They tend to doubt your authority and capability. Just as he was about to walk towards Yoko, a man with unruly curly dark locks abruptly stopped in front of her. 'If I haven't got my facts wrong, I'm pretty sure that that's Han-Ou..." He a notorious reputation of being somewhat obnoxious and cunning, though Han's financial stability is fairly strong.

"Do take my suggestion into serious consideration, Kei-Ou. After all, you do want what's best for your Kingdoms, and for the sake of others right? I take my leave now, and I bid you a good night." Having said that, he with Han-Taiho gave a curt bow and left.

Rakushun scratched his head absent-mindedly. "What was that about?" he asked. "Was he trying to negotiate or develop new policies between Han and Kei? Or was….." He never got to finish his sentence. Yoko, despite being a ruler of a striving kingdom, was after all still a young teenage girl. Whatever rules or decorum were flung right to the back of her brain. She grabbed her best friend by the robes and quite undignified-ly wailed into his chest. Rakushun, for the second time of the day, felt his face turn a brilliant scarlet. Momentarily dazed, he hesitantly patted her on the back in a bid to calm the hysterical Queen. "Daijoubu Yoko? Is something bothering you?" he tried again.

Doleful eyes brimming with tears met with his own amber ones. "They…they said that I should get married as soon as possible!"

Later in the Night…..

It had taken much coaxing and psyching to finally smoothen the young Queen's nerves. Sipping a cup of tea, she turned to face her quizzical looks of Rokuta and Rakushun, the sympathetic looks of Keiki and Shoryuu. This was definitely not her day; first it was a dinner/banquet affair…and now this. Nobody said anything about having to be joined in 'holy matrimony' in order to get a throne. For crying out loud, she was only 17! Furthermore, this was just too big a step to be taken lightly; as much as she cared about the welfare of her Kingdom, she just wasn't prepared to take such a drastic step. Besides, Keiki already said that it was not an obligation to do, Kings and Queens before her did just fine. But then a nasty voice in her head continued.

"Fine? You call that fine? Remember Yo-O? Her downfall because she fell in love, even though it was with Keiki. But at least she lasted six whole years. I doubt you would want your kingdom to collapse just as you claim it, would you?" Yoko shook her head, ignoring it as best as she could. Shoryuu spoke first.

"Shodoshi, or Han-Ou, suggested that Yoko be wed with another ruler to strengthen Kei. He insinuated that she didn't have what it took to be Queen, and cast doubt upon the other rulers. But that was more or less to be expected; Yoko is perhaps the youngest Taika Queen we have had for almost 300,000 years. Naturally there was a bit of prejudice, so don't take it to heart Yoko. I was thought of the same way, but look where I am now." He smiled and patted her clasped hands. She felt her heart skip a beat as their skin came in contact, and she was suddenly overcame by a bout of shyness. She smiled back in gratitude. Rakushun was still curious; if it was such a mere mention, it shouldn't have such a huge impact on Yoko. Something must have really perturbed her.

"So what else did he say, Yoko? I could have sworn I saw you shaking with frustration back there. Did he offend you?" he asked. Before Yoko could answer, Rokuta butted it. "Why that nerve of a King! He definitely has tricks up his sleeve, that's for sure! He had that leering look in his eyes; it was so obvious that he wanted to be one of the possible candidates to be Yoko's groom…" Shoryuu cut him off, silencing him with an uncharacteristically stern glare. "How would you have known, Rokuta? I thought all Kirins were supposed to be excused," he muttered in a dangerously calm tone. Rokuta grinned sheepishly. "Eh…I sorta overheard the conversation." That earned him a pretty painful whack on the head from Shoryuu. The impish Kirin retorted nevertheless. "Well, it was a good thing cause I would have never heard him mention about 'oh what little choices she had to pick', 'oh how she should only be with royalty'….humph, wait a moment. I just realized something." Rokuta turned and faced the rest with a strange gleam in his eyes.

"There are only two rulers who are currently not with wives. That leaves Han-Ou and……….."

"En-Ou."

TBC

A/N: Thanks all for your great reviews, I totally appreciated it! Just got into the Twelve Kingdoms craze recently too. I hope I'didn't make Yoko sound too out of character. Btw, 'Shodo' from 'Shodoshi' means impulsive. Basically gives you a hint about his character ne? Just so you know…God do I love Rokuta…he would be like the brother I never had and never wanted. Lol…drop me a review and tell me what you think?


	3. Of Birthdays and Incognito trips

**Second Glances**

Chapter 3: Of birthdays and incognito trips

"En-Ou."

Shoryuu felt his facial muscles go slack as he gaped at the golden-haired Kirin, his mind a complete blank. Now that was really unexpected, not to mention unwanted. This was a very delicate and awkward situation to say the least. He stole a glance at Yoko, who happened to catch his eye at that very same moment. She blinked, as comprehension of the fact finally dawned upon her, and hurriedly looked away. He mustered the dirtiest look he could to shoot to Rokuta, but that did nothing to wipe off the enormous grin plastered across his face. Shoryuu made up his mind there and then, when they got back to Enshu Palace, he was definitely going to receive the most solid pounding he had ever received in his 500 years. No decree or tradition was going to talk him out of it, screw the fact that he was a 'holy' beast. Not that half the things that sprouts out of his mouth is even half-decent or the least bit 'holy', that twerp.

Rakushun noticed that the whole room had gone impeccably silent. This was an almost comical scenario; and if it wasn't out of respect for the respective rulers, he was pretty certain he would have burst into yet another fit of giggles. Trust En-Taiho to say the most unpredictable things. He watched as his best friend look sheepishly away from the raven-haired Emperor. A strange feeling tugged at his heart at this point, but he shrugged it off. After all, he had been with Yoko the longest; it wasn't hard to see that she was attracted to him, one way or the other. Time to change the subject.

He cleared his voice discreetly. "So Yoko, did you know that there is a public seven-day rest in En Kingdom?" Her curiosity piqued, she turned to Rakushun.

"Nani? Is there any specific significance during those days?" Rakushun exchanged looks with Rokuta, of whom the latter grinned. Rakushun replied, "Didn't you know? Its En-Ou's day of birth, the whole kingdom will be filled with festive celebration; hence all schools regardless of levels will be closed." Yoko's eyes widened with further surprise.

"It's your birthday? How come you didn't mention any thing about it?" Shoryuu waved a dismissing hand, replying with slight embarrassment. "It's really nothing…I would just settle for a much more private and simple affair if it wasn't decreed by the Heavens." Rokuta scoffed at this point.

"Feh, he's just trying to be act humble. He hasn't the vaguest conception under God what humility is." Shoryuu gritted his teeth in an obvious display of strained tolerance. "Just a few more hours…wait till I get my hands round his scrawny neck," he muttered under his breath, before continuing. "I was thinking of going incognito for a few days; would you, Rakushun and Kei-Taiho like to join us?" Yoko leaned abruptly to her left, giving Keiki an enquiring look. Keiki, who had been silent the whole time, was startled when emerald eyes bored deeply into his own violet ones. A Queen should not leave her palace so soon after the enthronement. Frowning slightly, he thought for a moment. Since there wasn't anything urgent or important during that period, it should be alright for his master to take a breather. After all, a break could just be the thing that she needs to get back on track. Furthermore, he wasn't sure if he felt safe leaving shoujuu on her own. He allowed himself a tiny sigh before nodding his consent to his master.

The young ruler beamed in sheer elation, her face literally glowing. "Great! Then it's decided then! So when will we set off?" Rakushun started to protest. It was not appropriate for a lowly commoner like him to mix with noble company. Besides, he felt like an outsider. Yoko with her Taiho, En-Ou with his. It just was not his place. "Yoko, En-Ou, while I appreciate your kind offer I don't think its suitable for me to—"The poor hanjyuu never managed to finish his sentence. Yoko silenced him with one of her imploring looks. "Rakushun, you have to come! It won't be the same without you? Onegai…" So much for his escape plan. Yoko has really gotten the hang of the art of persuasion; must be one of the few things that she had to learn as a ruler. He smiled inwardly, before giving in finally. Yoko was pleased; at least one of her lessons came in handy.

Much later in the night…

Feeling surprising energetic even after a long day, Yoko decided to walk Rakushun to his sleeping quarters. Since it was already pitch dark, traveling all the way back to En was out of the question. 'Besides,' Rakushun thought wryly to himself, "what are the odds of me winning an argument against her?" Keiki had retired to his own room a little earlier, leaving the two friends alone to catch up. The sudden absence landed both of them into yet another awkward lapse of silence. There was much he had wanted to talk about, but he didn't know where to start.

"So, Yoko….."

"Rakushun, I…"

They both stopped and stared at each other. "You first!" came two voices in perfect unison. Yoko blinked at her best friend before bursting into laughter. Rakushun grinned sheepishly, absent-mindedly raising a hand to run through his hair. That simple action caused his neatly parted pale raven hair to stick up in small weird-looking clumps, not unlike an animal ran amok. Yoko bent over; her petite frame shaking violently as she struggled futilely to keep in the tsunami of giggles that were threatening to over-whelm her. It was just too much. Rakushun looked confused, reaching over to feel about his head. Realization gradually dawned upon him as his mouth formed an 'O' with surprise. Yoko giggled, her tinkling laughter echoing clearly through the hallways of the pavilion. Rakushun will always be Rakushun. He's hopeless at this." She inched closer in one fluid motion, using her long slender fingers to smooth down the stray strands back into place. "It's so velvety…I wonder if it'll feel that way when he's in his rat-form…" Yoko mused to herself.

Rakushun was feeling the strangest sensations.

He felt like he was dreaming, his surroundings surreal and blurred. He could hear Yoko's soft little breaths against the side of his cheeks, like the warmest summer breeze in the countryside. The touch of her fingers along the strands of his hair; molding together perfectly, as if it was meant to be there all along. She was so close to him; it would be so easy to embrace her. Rakushun felt his heart accelerate, picking up speed and momentum as she leaned closer to tuck the further strands behind his ears. He was pretty certain she was going to hear it any moment now, at the rate it was going. Bathed under the delicate glow of the stars, Yoko had never looked more radiant and ravishing. Her alabaster skin looked as if it was carved out of the finest pearls that ever existed….

'Everything changes…but beauty remains,

Something so tender, I can't explain…

Well I maybe dreaming, but still lie awake,

Can't we make this dream last forever?"

"There…it's done." Yoko declared, taking a step backwards to survey her work. It might be her imagination, but she thought she saw that Rakushun looked a little disappointed. Yes, it must be all that nerves after that fiasco. After all, what does he have to be disappointed for? "Ne…Yoko, remember the last time we spoke through the bird? I still cannot believe that you actually named the new era Seiki-Raku; it's a little intimidating. You should have consulted Kei-Taiho about this, you know? Perhaps it'll be better sounding if he helps you to choose a new character for the…" "Rakushun!" Yoko cried, feeling a sense of frustration. When will he ever learn that he isn't as lowly as he thinks himself of? And that he is one of the only few that I'll ever truly trust? She had a better idea. She grabbed him by the hand and pulled him into a run. Her long, crimson hair flowing with the chilly night breeze, and the flurry of swaddling robes following closely behind her soon disappeared into the darkness.

What a sight.

A/N: Ok, does anyone finally have an idea who I'm a shipper for? ,

It's pretty apparent in this chapter I think. However, don't jump to conclusions; I'm still not sure who I'll put Yoko together with. Guess you'll have to read on to find out. Just a side note; I won't be able to update this as often as I did before. It's kinda difficult to juggle this with a tedious job that pays for nuts, (if you are one of the few who read my blog: no pun intended), a high-maintenance mom and whatnots. Not to mention that I'm trying EX-tremely hard not to slip into one of those soppy romance fics of Junni Kokki. Hope you guys'll put up with this for the time-being.

_Yume-Li_: Uh, no it's not a YokoKeiki fic, though I might do another one about them though. I do hope you'll still tune in to this despite that. I made a note earlier that this is slightly AU, and that Taiki and Tai-Ou were restored to avoid confusion. Perhaps you didn't notice? Is Yoko that OOC? Ok, I'll take it into account and try to keep her as original as possible.

_The Cougar_: Hi, are you're Amanda Wood right? Thanks for your reviews and the email sent. I'll reply you asap regarding your fic.

_Trish_: Oh cool, you have all the DVDs? I can only dream for now, I'll have to slog to kingdom come to earn enough to get those. Hmm so you favor the ShoryuuYoko pairing huh? Maybe I'll throw a little bit of that here and there…crackles insidiously

_Huntress Raven_: You support the Shoryuu-pairing too? It seems real popular among the readers; I guess it cos of the chemistry. But do give Rakushun a chance! wide-eyed

_Anomaly27_: Yup, gotta agree with your point. Things tend to get messy when politics rear their ugly heads. Now, what we have to do is to grab a nice chopper and start decapitating. Hee..

_Saving Rain_: Thank you so much! You're like the first person to really acknowledge the amount of time and effort I expend on this 'baby' of mine. Thank. You. Yup, while I admit that matrimony between the two may lead to some complications; I'll probably justify it as such in time to come. Your reviews were really helpful, and I'll contemplate them into usage. The title of 'Queen' instead of 'Empress'; well, that's how she is referred in the anime shown here, in my country.

TBC


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